Fake signature rattles MBMC

Always in the news, mostly for the wrong reasons, skeletons continue to keep tumbling out of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s (MBMC) closet at regular intervals. This time, it was Shiv Sena corporator Tara Gharat’s turn to drop a bombshell after she was shocked to find her signature was forged to register her attendance in the standing committee meeting held on Sept 6, 2019.

Despite her absence, she was marked present for the meeting, which was attended by just seven of the 16 members. The BJP-led committee is already under the scanner for approving a series of tender bids worth crores at highly inflated rates and that too in a jiffy. Seeking immediate action against those involved in the offence, Gharat has registered a complaint with the civic administration and the local police station.

Sensing the gravity of the case, Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik has demanded a probe and suspension of the municipal secretary for his alleged laxity. The bogus signature was inked in the attendance register apparently to authorise the meeting that lacked the mandated quorum.

“I am awaiting the secretary’s clarification on the issue, following which necessary action will be taken,” said civic chief Balaji Khatgaokar.

Skipping the normal procedure, the special meeting was unusually held in the evening hours, a day after publishing the agenda on September 5, thus raising a serious question mark on the actual intentions of the civic administration and the ruling governance.